Saturday, June 22, 2013

I am outraged at this map about India. Not because I am an Indian, but because it is flawed. I have consistently stood up against wrongsurveysand mis-representation of people, all people. This is the second internationalsurveythat is so much out of the line this year.

India is pegged as the most racially intolerant country in the world, and this is not acceptable, off hand these are the questions;

First of all, the question about race is flawed. To a typical Indian, there is only one race in India. However, the majority of Indians are not aware of the existence of all the anthropological races in India - Caucasian, Mongoloid,Negroidand the Brown, although the awareness has increased since globalization started. They may have colored the question differently or it was misunderstood.

Secondly, it is rather religion that is the cause of discrimination* than race in the subcontinent. Race, religion, language and caste are excuses to exploit the greed of humans. We should call it greed than race. "Rang aur Nasl, Zaat aur Mazhab, Jo bhi aadmi say kamtar hai" (color, race, caste and religion are inferior to humanity) are all clubbed in many a songs as discriminating factor.

Thirdly - depending on the strict race question, Pakistan has ranked as a tolerant nation, because in theory rarely a Muslim believes in superiority of one race over the other, as the Prophet had said in his last sermon**, but do they really follow the Prophet? Had they followed, they would speak up against injustice and harassment of Hindu women, Sikhs and Christians, and stop the killing of Ahmadiyya and Shia Muslims.Pakistan is showna higher degreeof tolerance than India. No doubt, India does not have an impeccable record onreligious discrimination, but it is much better than many of the other nations. India should realistically rank as more tolerant nation.

* Although discrimination is illegal in India as in the United States, but it is practiced widely where as in the US individuals have recourse with Law. India does not have anEqual Opportunityand Housing discrimination department to access. Urbanization is removing the barriers, but it would be the law on the side of the discriminated, that will change the society.

** A survey is warranted here in the United States, a good percentage of Desi Americans (subcontinentians -south Asians of all religions) living in America are racist pigs, I am sick of their racist remarks. This needs to go, and I get stared at with contempt when I speak up against racism.

I protestthe surveyand ask the Surveyors to reconsider the data and club the Rang aur Nasl, Zaat aur Mazhab, Color and race, caste and Religion as one item and redothe surveyand rank the nations.

May be the civility of nations index is warranted based on how they treat their minorities – race, religion, ethnicity, culture and language.

The survey is flawed, and India does not deserve to be #1in negative way. This is my protest and if I get the support, I will take it further.

Mike Ghouse

The Book "Standing up for others" will be released on July 4th. Mike Ghouse is committed to build cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

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The Telegraph, UKSaturday 22 June 2013http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/10061025/Worlds-most-racially-intolerant-countries-mapped.html

Swedish economists have stated that India, Jordan and Bangladesh are among the least tolerant countries in the world, while Britain is among the most accepting.

The World Values Survey asked respondents in more than 80 different countries to state the type of people they did not want as neighbours.

Over 40 per cent of respondents in India, Jordan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong said they would not want a neighbour of a different race.

The British were among the most tolerant, along with former colonies the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. People in Latin American counties were also prepared to embrace racially diverse neighbours.

The data from the survey by Niclas Berggren and Therese Nilsson wasmapped by the Washington Post by Max Fisher.

In India, 43.5 per cent said they did not want someone of a different race as their neighbour. In Jordan it was 51.4 per cent, while in Hong Kong and Bangladesh, over 70 per cent said someone of a different race was their biggest concern in a neighbour.

Europe showed widely varying results, with France coming out as notably racially intolerant at 22.7 per cent. Former Soviet states such as Belarus and Latvia proved to be more tolerant than many of their European neighbours, according to thestudy.

Washington Posthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/• Wide, interesting variation across Europe. Immigration and national identity are big, touchy issues in much of Europe, where racial make-ups are changing. Though you might expect the richer, better-educated Western European nations to be more tolerant than those in Eastern Europe, that’s not exactly the case. France appeared to be one of the least racially tolerant countries on the continent, with 22.7 percent saying they didn’t want a neighbor of another race. Former Soviet states such as Belarus and Latvia scored as more tolerant than much of Europe. Many in the Balkans, perhaps after years of ethnicity-tinged wars, expressed lower racial tolerance.• The Middle East not so tolerant. Immigration is also a big issue in this region, particularly in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which often absorb economic migrants from poorer neighbors.• Racial tolerance low in diverse Asian countries. Nations such as Indonesia and the Philippines, where many racial groups often jockey for influence and have complicated histories with one another, showed more skepticism of diversity. This was also true, to a lesser extent, in China and Kyrgyzstan. There were similar trends in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.• South Korea, not very tolerant, is an outlier. Although the country is rich, well-educated, peaceful and ethnically homogenous – all trends that appear to coincide with racial tolerance – more than one in three South Koreans said they do not want a neighbor of a different race. This may have to do with Korea’s particular view of its own racial-national identity as unique – studied by scholars such as B.R. Myers – and with the influx of Southeast Asian neighbors and the nation’s long-held tensions with Japan.• Pakistan, remarkably tolerant, also an outlier. Although the country has a number of factors that coincide with racial intolerance – sectarian violence, its location in the least-tolerant region of the world, low economic and human development indices – only 6.5 percent of Pakistanis objected to a neighbor of a different race. This would appear to suggest Pakistanis are more racially tolerant than even the Germans or the Dutch.

Update: I’ve heard some version of one question from an overwhelming number of readers: “I’ve met lots of Indians and Americans and found the former more racially tolerant than the latter. How can these results possibly be correct?” I’d suggest three possible explanations for this, some combination of which may or may not be true. First, both India and the U.S. are enormous countries; anecdotal interactions are not representative of the whole, particularly given that people who are wealthy enough to travel internationally may be likely to encounter some subsets of these respective populations more than others.Second, the survey question gets to internal, personal preferences; what the respondents want. One person’s experiences hanging out with Americans or Indians, in addition to being anecdotal, only tell you about their outward behavior. Both of those ways of observing racial attitudes might suggest something about racial tolerance, but they’re different indicators that measure different things, which could help explain how one might contradict the other.Third, the survey question is a way of judging racial tolerance but, like many social science metrics, is indirect and imperfect. I cited the hypothetical about Swedes and Finns at the top of this post, noting that perhaps some people are just more honest about their racial tolerance than others. It’s entirely possible that we’re seeing some version of this effect in the U.S.-India comparison; maybe, for example, Americans are conditioned by their education and media to keep these sorts of racial preferences private, i.e. to lie about them on surveys, in a way that Indians might not be. That difference would be interesting in itself, but alas there is no survey question for honesty.Correction: This post originally indicated that, according to the World Values Survey, 71.7 percent of Bangladeshis and 71.8 percent of Hong Kongers had said that they would not want a neighbor of a different race. In fact, those numbers appear to be substantially lower, 28.3 percent and 26.8 percent, respectively. In both cases, World Values appears to have erroneously posted the incorrect data on its Web site. Ashirul Amin, posting at the Tufts University Fletcher School’s emerging markets blog, looked into the data for Bangladesh and discovered the mistake. My thanks to Amin, who is Bangladeshi and was able to read the original questionnaire, for pointing this out. His analysis is worth reading in full, but here’s his conclusion:The short answer is, yes, someone did fat finger this big time. “Yes” and “No” got swapped in the second round of the survey, which means that 28.3% of Bangladeshis said they wouldn’t want neighbors of a different race – not 71.7%.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

One of my most affectionate moments with my Dad occurred, when I left home to work in Saudi Arabia in 1977, he hugged me and kissed on my forehead, that meant so much to me. I continue to dwell in that moment.In the Indian society in the 50’s and 60’s affection was not expressed verbally, but the affection was part of every moment of the life.

Once I refused to go to Ramadan Eid prayers as I was loosing interest in religion and becoming an Atheist, I was about 15 years old then. My father did not get angry or threw a fit over that, instead, he sat down and had a conversation with me – and offered me choices – that I lived in the society and to survive and live a fuller life, I have to get along with them and have a working relationship. I was expecting a boring lecture or anger – I got neither instead I was moved by his wisdom.

M. Abdul Rahman

Everett A. Blauvelt

He never hit me except once – I was sitting at the porch of my house relaxing, and watched a man fell off from his bicycle with a big bag of rice. He was struggling to get back on it, and I was laughing… at a distance I saw my father coming… and then he sped, that sent a chill in my bones, had never seen him in that mode… I ran inside the home, he helped that guy and followed me. I hid on the heap of Paddy bags in the corner of my house. He went out and pulled the branch of a mulberry tree and bam – he got me and said something to this effect, “my son will not sit and do nothing when someone needs help. He got me brainwashed pretty well to stop and lend a hand to anyone in need.”My father is my hero. He opened the windows of wisdom to me and led his life as an example. He was one of the most open minded persons I have known; he had prejudice towards none, indeed, if I pass that test and I am getting closer, I would like to have my head stone read "zero prejudice". Thank you Dad!

Then I owe my gratitude to Dadski Everett Blauvelt. Since my father passed away in 1977, Dadski has been a great father figure to me, he always inquired about my family all his life and was very caring and helped me through the death of my father. He was instrumental in getting me here in the United States and he passed away on April 21, of this year.

The way I have learned to appreciate these men is by taking time.I will do my early morning prayers of gratitude for these two men.I am blessed to have so many great friends who are fatherly figures to me;Sri. D D Maini; Rev. Bill Mathews; Dr. Harbans Lal; and Dr. Qureshi. Happy father’s day to ya’ll.

I feel the pain of those who did not have a good father, or had an abusive father or did not even know a thing about him. I am proud of you for making it in life despite not having a father, and respect and understand your pain and struggles. I pray for the well being of all those how feel sad today, that is the least we can do in a cohesive society. If any one of you considers me a fatherly figure, please feel free to call and talk to me for a few minutes.Mike Ghousewww.MikeGhouse.net(214) 325-1916

Lost Tribe On Small Island In The Indian Ocean remain virtually untouched by modern civilization.

Anything and everything anytimeThe Sentinelese (also Sentineli, Senteneli, Sentenelese, North Sentinel Islanders)
are one of the Andamanese indigenous peoples and one of the most
uncontacted peoples of the Andaman Islands, located in India in the Bay
of Bengal. They inhabit North Sentinel Island which lies westward off
the southern tip of the Great Andaman archipelago. They are noted for
vigorously resisting attempts at contact by outsiders. The Sentinelese
maintain an essentially hunter-gatherer society subsisting through
hunting, fishing, and collecting wild plants; there is no evidence of
either agricultural practices or methods of producing fire. Their
language remains unclassified.

*

*

The present population of the Sentinelese is not known with any great
degree of accuracy. Estimates have been produced ranging from lower than
40, through a median of around 250, and up to a maximum of 500. In the
year 2001, the Census of India officials recorded 39 individuals (21
males and 18 females); however, out of necessity this survey was
conducted from a distance and almost certainly does not represent an
accurate figure for the population who range over the 72 km2 (17,800
acres) island. Any medium- or long-term impact on the Sentinelese
population arising from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting
tsunami remains unknown, other than the confirmation obtained that they
had survived the immediate aftermath.

On previous visits, groups of some 20–40 individuals were encountered
regularly. Habitations of 40–60 individuals were found on two occasions.
As some individuals are almost certainly hiding, a better approximation
of group size cannot be determined. This would suggest that some 2–6
groups occupy the island. The rule of thumb population density of 1.5 km2
(370 acres)/individuals in comparable hunter-gatherer societies
indicates that one such group could live off the land alone. A
significant amount of food is derived from the sea. It seems that the
groups encountered, at any one time, could only have come from a rather
small part of the island. There appear to be slightly more males than
females. At any given time, about half of the couples seemed to have
dependent children or the women were pregnant.

North Sentinel Island

The Sentinelese and other indigenous Andamanese peoples are frequently
described as negritos, a term which has been applied to various widely
separated peoples in Southeast Asia, such as the Semang of the Malay
archipelago and the Aeta of the Philippines, as well as to other
peoples as far afield as Australia (notably former populations of
Tasmania). The defining characteristics of these “negrito” peoples (who
are not a monophyletic group) include a comparatively short stature,
dark skin and “peppercorn” hair, qualities also found commonly across
the continent of Africa. No close contacts have been established, but
the author Heinrich Harrer described one man as being 1.6 m (5′ 4″) tall
and apparently left handed.

From 1967 onwards, the Indian authorities in Port Blair
embarked on a limited programme of attempts at contacting the
Sentinelese, under the management of the Director of Tribal Welfare and
anthropologist T. N. Pandit. These “Contact Expeditions” consisted of a
series of planned visits which would progressively leave “gifts”, such
as coconuts, on the shores, in an attempt to coax the Sentinelese from
their hostile reception of outsiders. For a while, these seemed to have
some limited success; however, the programme was discontinued in the
late 1990s following a series of hostile encounters resulting in several
deaths.

In 2006, Sentinelese archers killed two fishermen who were
fishing illegally within range of the island. The archers later drove
off, with a hail of arrows, the helicopter that was sent to retrieve the
bodies. To this date, the bodies remain unrecovered, although the
downdraught from the helicopter’s rotors at the time exposed the two
fishermen’s corpses, which had been buried in shallow graves by the
Sentinelese.

On 2 August 1981, the ship Primrose grounded on the North Sentinel
Island reef. A few days later, crewmen on the immobile vessel observed
that small black men were carrying spears and arrows and building boats
on the beach. The captain of the Primrose radioed for an urgent
airdrop of firearms so the crew could defend themselves, but did not
receive them. Heavy seas kept the islanders away from the ship. After a
week, the crew were rescued by a helicopter working under contract to
the Indian Oil And Natural Gas Commission (ONGC).The Sentinelese apparently survived the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
and its after-effects, including the tsunami and the uplifting of the
island. Three days after the event, an Indian government helicopter
observed several of them, who shot arrows and threw stones at the
hovering aircraft with the apparent intent of repelling it. Although the
fishing grounds of the Sentinelese were disturbed, they appear to have
adapted to the island’s current conditions.Amazing that in 2013 there is still a tribe that has had
virtually no contact with the outside world. To resist contact in such a
vigilant way. Reminds me of the scene from Mutiny On The Bounty with
Anthony Hopkins.Source:
http://markosun.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/lost-tribe-on-small-island-in-the-indian-ocean-remain-virtually-untouched-by-modern-civilization/

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Although I have stood up for the freedom of speech for Salman Rushdie and will continue to do that for every one, I would like to see him clarify his position, he is perceived as a self-hating Muslim (borrowed from Jewish expression - self-hating Jew) and continues with that, that is of course his choice.

Film must be shown India, those who want to see can see.

Meera Nair's film Water met similar troubles in India by the Hindutva extremists, the sets were burn and they had to shoot the movie in Sri Lanka! When it was Premiered in Dallas, I was asked to introduce the movie to the audience and respond to the Q&A following the film. Even in Dallas, a few of my fellow Indians were belligerent towards the movie.

I might see if I can see the movie previews and introduce it here in Dallas.

NEY DELHI — “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom,” said India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 when the nation gained independence from British colonial rule. Sixty three years later, the Indians who inherited that freedom appear to be losing their nerve to defend it.Screenshot of movie title from YouTube.

The new movie version of the epochal, Booker Prize-winning novel “Midnight’s Children” by the controversial India-born writer Salman Rushdie is scaring away movie distributors. The historical fiction novel traces the journey from the heady days of independence to the turbulent politics of the nation-building decades that followed.

Watch the official trailer of “Midnight’s Children.”

There is no official ban on the film. But the reluctance to receive the film points not just to the rising intolerance and threat to free speech in India in recent months, but also to how Indians have begun to self-censor themselves proactively because of fear of attacks or their distrust in the government’s ability to deter attacks.

In the past year, authorities locked horns with Google, Twitter, Facebook and the blogger community here over screening of content that it found offensive. The reason for the fear is that anything to do with Rushdie will provoke Muslim anger here. His book “Satanic Verses” is banned in India, and earlier this year the writer canceled his visit to a literary festival after the government warned him of a possible threat to his life. In March, Rushdie attended a conference in New Delhi, only to find that many of the politicians and Muslim speakers boycotted it. The movie, which was released last week at the Toronto International Film Festival, has many prominent Bollywood actors. ”People are getting scared that a movie based on Rushdie’s book may create a problem here,” said Sunil Bohra, a movie producer and distributor, who said he had not seen the film. “The producers of the movie must think if it makes sense to attach Rushdie’s name to the movie in India. It worked around the world, but may not here.”Writer Salman Rushdie arrives at the premiere for "Midnight's Children" at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. (Jemal Countess - GETTY IMAGES) The movie features another hot-button issue. The story includes critical descriptions of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, who suspended civil rights and free speech during a two-year period in the 1970s called the “Emergency.” Gandhi’s daughter-in-law, the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, now heads the ruling Congress party, and any negative portrayal of the family is frowned upon. The director of the film, Deepa Mehta, told the Hindustan Times newspaper that it would be a “pity” if the film didn’t release in India because of “insecure politicians”.

By Mike GhousePublished at Indian Muslim Observer, June 4, 2012http://www.indianmuslimobserver.com/2012/06/latest-editorial-mr-narendra-modi-you.htmlNarendra
Modi is one of the most loved and hated politicians of India. He is the
Chief Minister (Equivalent of State Governor in the US) of Gujarat,
touted as one of the most industrialized states of India. He is loved
by those who prospered and became wealthy, and hated by those who cried
out for help, but got none.

In
the Gujarat Mayhem a decade ago, both the criminals and victims were
ethnic Guajarati. A majority of them did not like the death and
destruction of fellow Gujaratis. Nearly a thousand of them were killed
and several thousand were displaced and still living in the refugee
camps.

No
decent Gujarati should be offended with the reporting on rampage, it is
not about them; it is about the criminals among them, regardless of the
religious label they wear. Religion does not permit one to murder
others. It is an embarrassment and a dark part of their history.

During
the communal riots in Jabalpur in the early sixties, both Muslims and
Hindus were killed in the mayhem. I wish every father in India, teaches
the following lesson to his kids, as my father taught me. He told us
that the "individuals" are responsible for the bloodshed and not the
religions; he was very clear. He said, you cannot blame the nebulous
understanding of religion and expect justice. The individuals
responsible for disturbing the peace should be punished under the law,
and a resolution to the conflict must result by serving justice. He said
you cannot annihilate, kill, hang or beat a religion, then why bark at
it? It is not the religion, it is the individual bad guys that are the
problem.

Crime
is always committed by the individuals, and each individual must be
brought to justice to restore faith in the society. When you believe
that your rights will be protected by your government, you feel safe and
secure and that is how you build cohesive societies.

It
is disappointing to see the depletion of humanness among a few vocal
fellow Indians. They have no empathy for the pain and anguish of
families who were massacred in broad day light in Gujarat. It is a
shame that a few of them even justify it, and a few others believe that
the victims deserved it. Indeed, it is an assault on the sense of
morality of all religions.

The
long term well being of the individual and the society hinges on the
morality of the people and not the wealth and economic prosperity. No
nation has ever lasted on the basis of economic prosperity alone, it is
the collective morality and adherence to the justice for all that
defines the idea of a civilized nation.

This
piece is written in Indian context; hence, a self introspection for the
Indians and Indian Americans may be necessary with the following five
questions.

1. Am I communal (sectarian) minded person?

2. Am I capable of seeing another Indian as Indian without the religious lens?

3. Do I blame others and not jettison my own share of responsibility?

4. Do I feel bad, and not speak for fear of offending friends?

5. Do I have a moral chip in me?

No society attains long term prosperity while oppressing a minority amongst them.

A
“few” Hindus have rejoiced the massacre of fellow Gujarati Muslims,
shame on their humanity and shame on them to call themselves Hindus. A
few Muslims find it difficult to reconcile the situation, shame on them
for not listening to their own religion. God declares in Quraan, that
the dearest among you, is the one who forgives. It is not easy to do
that. A few Muslims rightfully want nothing but punishment, I wish they
rather seek justice.

We have a choice to correct the situation, to begin with, at least in our own hearts.

An appeal to Chief Minister Modi

Dear Mr. Narendra Modi,

You
have a moral responsibility to the well being of every citizen of
Gujarat, whether they personally elected you or not, you still represent
them.

Your fellow Gujaratis were massacred under your guardianship, and I hope your humanness is alive to feel their pain and anguish.

Mr.
Modi, you have many choices; one among them is repentance, the
praischit, and I urge you to seriously consider it. It is the Michami
Dukadam of your life, that is seeking forgiveness and forgiving others
for any grudge you may harbor against others. Right now, you have a
choice to start your spiritual and political life with a clean slate.

This
means making good with the people who have suffered under your
leadership; it will bring Mukti (salvation) to you. The other choice is
to resign and show the strength of your character.

Your
moral character in the only sustainable legacy you can leave behind,
and not the wealth you create for a few. Gujarat has been around and
will always be there with or without you, and I hope you are humble
enough to see it.

You
may consider working on earning genuine respect from every Gujarati,
particularly the downtrodden living in the refugee camps. Uplift their
lives. You will be uplifting a huge moral burden of fellow Guajarati and
fellow Indians. Your honesty and integrity will be transparent in how
you handle the situation.

As
a leader of one of the industrially advanced states, you have a duty to
establish Gujarat as a state that respects law, where justice will be
served to every Gujarati, whether they live in a Jhompdi (Huts) or the
castle. Every Indian should feel safe, as the law would take care of the
wrong doers. You need to express your courage to speak up and follow
dharma, the right path.

You
can begin by mustering the courage to apologize to the citizens of
Gujarat and restore their lives and bring justice to them. It will
bring peace to every Gujarati and every Indian. It takes a man to do it,
and I hope you are man enough to do it and turn things around for the
16000 men and women living in refugee camps. Do them good, restore
their life and earn their goodwill. Once they see the results of
restoration of a genuine man, they will forgive you and support you and,
they will stand up for you, if you stand up for them.

I
am not sure if you are aspiring to run the national ship, or the ones
who benefit from it want to prop you up, either way, you have the
responsibility to fellow Gujaratis.

Your
chamchas may not care if you did not get the visa to the United States,
but you may want to remove the ugly stain from your character. The
Hindus and Muslims are willing to help you, provided you are willing to
do the praischit. The choice is yours.

[Mike Ghouseis
an Indian American committed to building cohesive societies, in the
Indian context he hopes no Indian has to live in apprehension,
discomfort or fear of the other. MikeGhouse is committed to building a
Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.
He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism,
politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike
is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on
national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith
Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and
several other periodicals across the world. The blog
www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. Mike Ghouse is associated with
IndianMuslimObserver.com as Foreign Editor. He can be contacted at
mikeghouse@aol.com]

This is a historical document and worth preserving it. Of course Sardar Patel belongs to every Indian including Narendra Modi. Mr. Modi is no doubt a good administrator, but not sure he is a good human. He lacks humility and is divisive, he is causing his own party founder to quit the party. He has a lot of praischiting to do to clean himself out, that follow with restoring the lives of thousands of Gujaratis displaced and pushed to live in squalor. Narendra Modi you have a choice - Mike Ghouse

By Shamsul Islam

13 June, 2013Countercurrents.org

Gujarat Chief Minister and Hindutva icon Narendra Modi, while inaugurating an all-India conference on livestock and dairy development on June 11, 2013 in Gandhinagar, announced a nation-wide campaign to collect small pieces of iron from farmers and use them to build a ‘Statue of Unity’ in memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first interior minister of independent India in Nehru’s cabinet.

He announced, “On the day of Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31, 2013, we will launch a nation-wide campaign, covering more than five lakh villages throughout the country, to collect small pieces of iron of any tool used by farmers from each village, that will be used in the building of the statue.” This ‘Statue of Unity’ is to be the tallest statue on Earth: the 182 metres (392 feet) tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — the Iron Man — will be built opposite the Sardar Sarovar Dam over the Narmada river in south Gujarat.

Modi lamented the fact that architect of modern India, “Sardar Patel brought the nation together. But gradually his memories are fading away” and went on to declare that “to reinvigorate his memory and as a fitting tribute to the Iron Man of India, we are building this statue, which will be double in height than the Statue of Liberty in New York.” He also reminded the audience that “Sardar Patel was also a farmer who was instrumental in bringing farmers into the freedom struggle.”

This grandiose project of Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, who is an RSS whole-timer, raises a few pertinent issues. He was inaugurating a national conference on livestock and dairying, both of which are passing through a very critical phase due to famine, corporatization of agricultural land and high costs. The well-being of livestock and dairying is essentially connected with the well-being of farmers. According to official data, in the last one decade, on an average, one Indian farmer committed suicide every 40 minutes due to debt, sub-standard seeds/manure, high costs and scarcity of water, to name only few of the endless problems. In the same decade millions of head of cattle have perished due to famine, shrinking pasture lands and handing over fertile lands to business houses and builder mafias. Dairy products have become luxury items beyond the reach of common Indians. India leads the world in having the largest number of under-nourished children and women. Shockingly, Modi had no comments on this worsening scenario.

Modi’s love for Sardar Patel is intriguing for many reasons. Patel was a Congress leader who, inspired by Gandhi’s principle of non-violence, led a great and very powerful movement of farmers at Bardoli taluka in 1928. This is known as the Bardoli Satyagraha and the then pro-British English Press described it as “Bolshevism in Bardoli” and Patel as its “Lenin.”

Patel was awarded the title 'Sardar' after this heroic struggle. This peasants’ movement started against the extortionate lagan imposed by the British rulers and landlords and selling of large tracts of agricultural land to moneybags of Bombay. Sardar Patel led the movement but he had devoted Congressmen/women workers, both Hindus & Muslims, like Imam Saheb Abdul Kadir, Uttamchand Deepchand Shah, Mohanlal Kameshwar Pandya, Bhaktiba Desai, Darbar Gopaldas Desai, Meethubehn Petit, Jugatrambhai Dave, Surajbehn Mehta, Umar Sobani and Phoolchand Kavi, who challenged the colonial masters and their henchmen at the ground level.

One important fact to be noted is that the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS, which existed during this period, kept aloof from this historical struggle. Modi’s co-option of Patel, who was a prominent Congress leader of the anti-British freedom struggle, is part of a ploy of the Hindutva camp to be seen as part of the freedom movement despite having betrayed it. This kind of co-option game is likely to succeed, as the Congress as a party has become indifferent to its anti-colonial legacy.

Dead persons do not speak, and Sardar Patel cannot appear to put across the truth. However, contemporary documents show that Modi's and the Hindutva camp's love for Sardar Patel is based on lies. Sardar Patel hated Hindutva politics and was the person who imposed the first ban on the RSS. The February 4, 1948 communique issued by the Home Ministry headed by Sardar Patel banning the RSS was self-explanatory:

“In their resolution of February 2, 1948 the Government of India declared their determination to root out the forces of hate and violence that are at work in our country and imperil the freedom of the Nation and darken her fair name. In pursuance of this policy the Government of India have decided to declare unlawful the RSS.”

The communique went on to say that the ban on the RSS was imposed because

“Undesirable and even dangerous activities have been carried on by members of the Sangh. It has been found that in several parts of the country individual members of the RSS have indulged in acts of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity, and murder and have collected illicit arms and ammunition. They have been found circulating leaflets exhorting people to resort to terrorist methods, to collect firearms, to create disaffection against the government and suborn the police and the military.”

It was Sardar Patel who, as Home Minister, did not hesitate in telling the then supremo of the RSS, Guru Golwalkar, that his organization was responsible for killing Gandhi and instigating violence. In a letter written to Golwalkar, dated 11 September 1948, Sardar Patel stated:

“Organizing the Hindus and helping them is one thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women and children is quite another thing… Apart from this, their opposition to the Congress, that too of such virulence, disregarding all considerations of personality, decency or decorum, created a kind of unrest among the people. All their speeches were full of communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison in order to enthuse the Hindus and organize for their protection. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the Government, or of the people, no more remained for the RSS. In fact opposition grew. Opposition turned more severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death. Under these conditions it became inevitable for the Government to take action against the RSS… Since then, over six months have elapsed. We had hoped that after this lapse of time, with full and proper consideration the RSS persons would come to the right path. But from the reports that come to me, it is evident that attempts to put fresh life into their same old activities are afoot.”

Sardar Patel continued hammering the fact that the Hindutva brigade collectively was responsible for the murder of Gandhi. In a letter to Nehru dated February 27, 1948, he wrote, “It was a fanatical wing of the Hindu Mahasabha directly under Savarkar that hatched the conspiracy and saw it through. It also appears that conspiracy was limited to some ten men… Of course, his [Gandhiji’s] assassination was welcomed by those of the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha who were strongly opposed to his way of thinking and to his policy.”

Sardar Patel stressed the same fact in his letter to a prominent leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, on July 18, 1948: “As regards the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, the case relating to Gandhiji’s murder is sub-judice and I should not like to say anything about the participation of the two organizations, but our reports do confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former, an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a ghastly tragedy became possible. There is no doubt in my mind that the extreme section of the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in the conspiracy. The activities of the RSS constituted a clear threat to the existence of Government and the State. Our reports show that those activities, despite the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as time has marched on, the RSS circles are becoming more defiant and are indulging in their subversive activities in an increasing measure.”

Despite all these facts, Narendra Modi claims to love Sardar Patel. It only shows that Modi has no qualms about resorting to deceits for selfish gains. Sardar Patel is a ready-made heroic figure. Modi does not have to manufacture him. He and the RSS have only to hide the fact that the man was opposed to their organization and had acted against it, and then, by what can only be called theft, proceed to make him one of their own. This defiance of historical fact is characteristic of the strategy of the Hindutva camp. Goebbels is dead, long live Modi.

[I am thankful to Mr. Mukul Dube for inputs]

Shamsul Islam is Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Satyawati College, University of Delhi. notoinjustice@gmail.com

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Sunday, June 9, 2013

Mihir, Congratulations for the achievements you have made for HAF.I am glad to see you becoming pluralist a little by little, it is good to see you expand your boundaries, and this is good improvement and I pray you become a genuine pluralist. On the lighter note, you have been wearing the same Kurta and Chappals since 2004 when I introduced you to the Dallas Hindu Community in the Shanti-Shanti Progam. I will buy you a new suit, next time I am in India.Mike GhouseHindus Celebrate a Decade of Advocacy on Capitol HillWashington, D.C. (June 6, 2013) -- A Hindu monk offered the opening
prayer for the House of Representatives and the birth sesquicentennial
of Swami Vivekananda, considered Hinduism's first ambassador to the
West, was marked in the Congressional record Tuesday morning. These two
historical firsts led up to a gala celebration attended by over 300 as
the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) marked its tenth year of advocacy on
Capitol Hill. A parade of Senate and House leaders took turns at the
podium of the ornate Caucus Room of the House Cannon Building and lauded
the Foundation's accomplishments over the years.
"The dividends of a decade of investments in education, advocacy,
and tireless interactions with every level of our nation's government
were on display throughout HAF's full day of events," said Mihir
Meghani, M.D., Co-Founder and member of the HAF Board of Directors. "A
Hindu prayer given on the floor of the House, and the words of Swami
Vivekananda offered by Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) inspired a remarkable
day and will carry us into the next decade of tireless work."
For the tenth consecutive year, over fifty delegates representing HAF fanned out in teams
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) addressing the guests at HAF's 10 Anniversary gala
visiting dozens of congressional offices on the Senate and House
sides of the U.S. Capitol on June 4. Delegates asked legislative leaders
in direct meetings to begin a congressional letter to Secretary of
State John Kerry, calling on the incoming Nawaz Sharif government of
Pakistan to take concrete steps to ease the continuing tragedy of
religious persecution and violence faced by Hindus, Shia and Ahmadiyya
Muslims, and Christians there. They also called for the House Foreign
Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees to host congressional
hearings on the retaliatory violence faced by Hindus and Buddhists in
Bangladesh in the wake of recent verdicts against Islamist leaders
implicated for their roles in the 1971 genocide during Pakistan's
partition. Delegates covered domestic issues as well, articulating
uniquely Hindu perspectives on the pending immigration legislation.
At noon, HAF delegates gathered in the gallery of the House of
Representatives within the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. On a joint
invitation of Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Congresswoman Tulsi
Gabbard (D-HI), Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, spiritual head of
Kauai's Hindu Monastery and Publisher of the Hinduism Today magazine,
offered a Hindu invocation to open the day's House proceedings.
"The tragic Boston marathon bombings, still vivid in all our minds,
implore us to advocate the humanity of a nonviolent approach in all of
life's dimensions. Hindu scripture declares, without equivocation, that
the highest of high ideals is to never knowingly harm anyone," said
Bodhinatha, becoming the first Hindu sannyasin, or monk, to offer the
opening prayer for Congress. Chairman Royce, of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, took to the House floor after the invocation to thank
Bodhinatha, while acknowledging HAF's decade of advocacy and work on
the Hill.
HAF Board, Staff, and Executive Council with Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Arumuganathaswami of Kuai Hindu Monastery
As the gala reception got under way, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
accepted HAF's Friend of the Community award while affirming his
commitment to ensuring that the FBI mandate a separate category for the
tracking of data for hate crimes committed against Hindus - a position
long advocated by HAF. Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), Democratic
co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans,
similarly was awarded for his work on pushing for the anti-Hindu hate
crime data category on the House side. Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA)
accepted the third HAF Friend of the Community Award for his commitment
to promoting promoting pluralism and inter-religious dialogue, and
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), the first Hindu American elected to
Congress, was recognized for her history-making win.
"Our government leaders are hearing from Hindu Americans in a
sustained, consistent way for the last decade, and the results are
showing," said Suhag Shukla, Esq., HAF's Executive Director and Legal
Counsel. "Our commitment to the community is to continue these efforts,
expand them, and usher in a new generation of Hindu American leaders
making a difference in political engagement."
Courtesy of South Asia Mall

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

For many people writing about India, the common cliches of
Delhi belly, lengthy traffic jams, bureaucracy, corruption and yoga retreats are
the subjects that fill the column inches.

Here are 10 other observations.

1. Hardly anyone
pays income tax
Only 3% of Indians pay income tax, in a population of 1.2bn. One explanation
for this is that agriculture is exempt and two-thirds of Indians live in rural
areas. A large chunk of the economy is also informal, unorganised labour, for
which it's harder to collect taxes. Many argue that some of the country's
financial problems would be solved in one fell swoop, if this massive tax hole
could be filled.

2. The rise of the 'wedding detective'
A friend of mine told me that, before his arranged marriage, he had a hunch
his prospective in-laws had hired a private detective to check whether he'd had
a girlfriend in the past. The answer was that he had, but the snoop (thankfully
for my friend) failed to find out, and the wedding went ahead. The growth in
companies offering the service is huge, with 15,000 operating. "It's not
spying," says one woman who'd used the service to check out a prospective
bridegroom for her sister. "He told us he was from a good family, but we needed
to ensure he was telling the truth."

3. Read all
about it

While Western countries are mourning the demise of the newspaper, India's print industry is in
fact booming. A growing literacy rate, relatively low internet use, and the
large number of languages in the country, mean more people want to pick up their
daily rag. It's also very cheap to buy a newspaper, which is widening
newspaper readership among all social classes. Another reason why smaller,
community newspapers are also on the rise, is because with a growing economy,
more people are taking out classified ads, which helps to fund publications.
What's also remarkable is the market in second-hand newspapers and magazines.
You can sell your magazines to a man at a roadside stall, who will buy them off
you and sell them again - there are people who are more than happy to read a
year old copy of the Economist, if it's more affordable than the current issue.

4. Horn noise = pneumatic drill

Painted on the back of almost all lorries and trucks are the words "Horn OK,
please". Honking is encouraged in India for drivers who are coming up behind
another vehicle. The problem is that they're not used sparingly. One rickshaw
driver told me he honked his horn at least 150 times a day, a fairly
conservative estimate, given that in heavy traffic they can be sounded at least
once every 30 seconds. The average rickshaw horn produces a sound of around 93
decibels (close to that of a pneumatic drill), with the general sound of traffic
equivalent to a jumbo jet taking off. A deafening sound, quite literally.

Young people in India are using music as a way to express
self-confidence

India is a young nation. More than half of its 1.2 billion people is aged
below 25, and two-thirds below 35. Many young Indians are feeling a sense of
self confidence about their nation, no longer looking to the West. Mumbai has a
hipster scene to rival Brooklyn's and home grown musical talent is flourishing,
with many more shunning traditional professions and taking up a career in the
arts. A music festival circuit has gigs held in fields and deserts, while major
cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are becoming hubs for live
concerts.

6. Everywhere you go, you see plastic
chairs

7. They're piling on the pounds
"Oh you've put on weight," said my bank manager with a smile on her face.
Initially aghast, I eventually got used to the fact that gaining a few pounds is
considered a compliment, a sign that you're looking healthy. But what surprised
me was that India is now on the brink of an obesity epidemic, (not
just with humans but animals
too). Stop at any service station and you'll see queues of Indians gorging
on McDonalds or other processed foods. It's always been usual to see the older
Indian man sporting a fat tummy (known lovingly as a paunch), and while large
swathes of India still battle malnourishment, with millions starving every day,
there is a general widening of waists in the cities.

Some Indianisms

Prepone - To bring an event or meeting forwardRevert - to get back to someoneOnly - added to the end of sentences Out of station - Out of townYou've pulled down - You've lost weightI'll do the needful - I'll do what's requiredThey expired - They diedI'm going to office - articles routinely dropped

“Start Quote

We cannot believe that people don't spit. It (spitting) is
an inherent character of our people. ”

End
QuoteJustice PB MajmudarHigh Court judge, Mumbai

Mumbai has introduced a "spit
inspector" to fine those who share their saliva in public. Many people spit
after they've had paan (a mix of betel nut and areca, and sometimes tobacco -
which is chewed but not swallowed). This produces a reddish stain which can be
seen on the side of many white walls. It's common to see "do not spit" signs in
taxis, on the back of rickshaws and on the front of buildings. But there's
concern the falling phlegm is responsible for the spread of tuberculosis.
There's even an anti spit campaign in the country.

Anyone who has been to India, even for a few days, will be well acquainted
with the street-side economy which is a dominant part of life the country. The
inventiveness and resourcefulness of people in the country is like no other -
there are people who will sell or serve you in all kinds of ways. Broken an
umbrella? There's a man who'll fix it. Need your shoes re-heeled? There's a man
who will come to your house to do it. How about a haircut from a kerbside
cutter? Then there's the serious stuff - the roadside bone
setters, who will repair fractures, plus the ear cleaners and the corn and
bunion removal men. What's remarkable is how these centuries old traditions are
still going strong. Some fear these traditions are under threat, with future
generations choosing to pursue an education and a different path rather than
follow the family business, and because some authorities are
trying to move them off the pavements.

10. Don't wear new clothes on a
Saturday

India might be home to some of the world's best scientists and engineers, but
a lot of that rational thinking can go straight out of the window when it comes
to observing ancient superstitions. Different people observe different things,
such as - don't wear new clothes on a Saturday, don't clean the house at night
for fear of scaring the Goddess Lakshmi away, it's bad luck to give or accept
anything with your left hand. For so many in India - rich and poor - observing
these customs is still part of today's society. Brand new cars have a floral
garland hanging on the bonnet because it's considered good luck to get your new
vehicle blessed before you drive it. Chilli and limes hang in cars or above
front doors to ward off evil. A lot of planes don't have a row 13, to avoid any
association with the unlucky number. You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook

What have you noticed about life in India? Please let us
know using the form below. A selection of comments will be published.

INDIAN FLAG

INDEX BELOW

Indian Heroes

Patriotism

Upright Beauracrats

Community information

REAL ESTATE IN INDIA

INDIAN HEROES

These are the men and women from among Hindus, Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews, and other traditions that are deeply committed to the idea of One India and one people acknowledging the uniqueness of each one of the Indians.

Their work brings people together, their effort is to restore harmony among Indians unlike some lost souls who are hell bent on pitting one Indian against the other.

Lord Krishna had said, whenever the negative forces become stronger in dividing families and disrupt peace and harmony, he will emerge among them to restore sanity, the same idea is reflected in Quran, that God does not deprive his goodness to anyone and sends a peacemaker to every community and nation. After the founding fathers of the nation, these are our real heroes restoring dharma – the righteousness. Dharma is when people get along, mind their own business, live their lives and let others live theirs. God has created all of us and respects each one of us is the highest form of worship.

I salute them for their work and they come from all walks of life. They see you as an Indian and nothing but an Indian. They believe every human should be free to eat, drink, wear or believe whatever he or she wants in the pursuit of their happiness.

Please share stories of such Indians who have made efforts to build a cohesive India, an India where no Indian lives in apprehension, tension or fear of the other.

INDIAN HEROES - NEW FROM 12/20/17

PATRIOTISM

Two of India’s dangerous trends: Misplaced Patriotism and intolerance towards different points of view.

The real heroes of India are those who relentlessly “criticize” the government because they do not want their government to falter and make decisions that will mess up the social structure of the nation. They keep the government rascals on their toes. After all, they are elected to serve us not the other way around. The real heroes rise the nation for the common good of all.

What do the Chamchas on the other hand do? They wear a false badge of patriotism and to them patriotism is oppression of those who differ, and war mongering. They cannot handle criticism of government, they are yes sir, yes sir I lick your chappals. They bring down the nation by keeping their man at helm in a bubble giving him or her false assurance that everything is alright.

I hope the Prime Minister wises up and invites and honors those who criticize him, they are the real supporters of him by reminding him from falling into the pit. He should welcome all those who criticize. He needs to defend the rights of such heroes. The Indian Citizens on the other hand need to make a conscious effort to support those who criticize the government, BJP or Congress or any one.

The test of a successful civilized nation is when every man and woman of India can breathe, eat, drink, wear and believe whatever the hell she or he wants to believe.

UPRIGHT BUREAUCRATS

These are the public service heroes; officers who go against their political bosses to do the right thing for India, i.e, every Indian. We will be developing the list as we go forward. You can send in your entries to MikeGhouseforIndia@gmail.com

UPRIGHT BUREAUCRATS

ABOUT MIKE GHOUSE

Mike Ghouse is committed to his life mission of building cohesive work places, communities and nations. His work is for the Indians and Americans where each one of the 322 million Americans should feel secure without apprehension or fear of the other.

He is one of the 5 people in the world who is actively pursuing research, activism and teaching the subject of Pluralism. Just Google and find a tremendous amount of work on pluralism in religion, politics, society and culture. Mike defines Pluralism as an attitude of “respecting the otherness of other” and accepting the God-given uniqueness of each one of us.

He is a pluralist, thinker, writer, activist and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, politics, Islam, human rights and foreign policy including India and Israel-Palestine. He is a news maker, interfaith wedding officiant and a community consultant and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Dr. Ghouse has appeared in over 300 National TV shows and is a frequent guest with Hannity and Varney shows at Fox News along with others. He has over 1000 hours of Radio Shows of which 700 were dedicated to interfaith and pluralism. Over 3500 articles have been published of which a 1000 were on politics, foreign policy, sports and movies, a 1500 for interfaith and pluralism matters and a 1000 plus on Islam. In addition Mike has conducted workshops on Atheist to Zoroastrian and every one in between.

Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is at www.Centerforpluralism.com and www.WorldMuslimCongress.org

Welcome

We are proud of our heritage - a multi-faith, multi-cultural, multi-regional and multi-linguistic society, where we have come to accept and respect every which way people have lived their lives. For over 5000 years, India has been a beacon of pluralism - it has embraced Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i and Zoroastrianism to include in the array of the indigenous religions; Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. India led the way to the freedom movement, since 1947 every country has been liberated from colonialism. Indian democracy is a shining example to the world, where the people have peacefully transferred the powers. Indians are inherently secular and economically capitalistic. They believe in "live-and-let-live" life style, which is the essence of capitalism.Through the years we have expressed the highest degree of maturity on handling extreme situations; the more divergent opinions we hear, the larger our heart grows, the bigger our embrace would be and we can cushion more differences. Let’s continue to honor the concept that there is always another side to the story, as finding the truth is our own responsibility.I am proud of my heritage and am proud to be an Indian-American. Please join me in the discovery of India on a daily basis, as time permits and share the wealth of knowledge you have on this forum.

DallasIndians@yahoogroups.com is the information exchange center for the Indian community living in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex. You can join by sending an email to: DallasIndians-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com